“Uh, first time seeing… meeting you?”
It was Ryan’s first time seeing Pippi. He had heard that it was a phoenix, but its size made it difficult to use honorifics.
“Very, um… young?”
“Peep!”
Pippi shook one wing and lowered its head.
“What are you saying?”
Ryan looked at Dekan in confusion.
Dekan, also demoted to a mere knight, was politely standing behind Ryan with his hands folded.
“Ah, they say to skip the unnecessary greetings and get to the important talk.”
“Oh, you understand that bird?”
“No, I don’t fully understand. I read its gestures with the help of magic.”
“Still impressive. …So, how should I address it? Just call it Phoenix? That sounds weird.”
“Peep!”
“It seems they have a name, but they don’t like it when humans casually mention it.”
“Ah… quite particular, aren’t they?”
Ryan nodded with a somewhat disappointed face.
“Peep! Peep!”
Annoyed, Pippi flew up and slapped Ryan’s nose with its wing.
“…They say to focus.”
“Ah, yes, sorry.”
Ryan promptly apologized and sat up straight. There was no need yet, as Rescal hadn’t arrived, but this little bird made humans uncomfortably selfconscious.
“His Majesty?”
“He is still speaking with the chef.”
“I see.”
The Emperor had zero occasion to personally meet the chef. Yet neither Ryan nor Dekan could say anything.
Amid the tight security in the palace, the chamberlain Ferguson was frantically busy, looking for a new tailor and ordering a new necklace for the Empress.
Rescal also didn’t forget to send gifts to the maids of the Empress’s palace. It was a thankyou for letting him know what the Empress liked to eat, and the reward was considered overly generous by many.
“I wonder what he’ll give to the chef… If Her Majesty the Empress even says it’s delicious, he might even grant a city.”
Ryan mumbled absentmindedly.
“Peep!”
Then he got slapped on the other cheek.
“They say not to be sarcastic about making the Empress happy.”
“No, I wasn’t being sarcastic, but…”
“Peep!”
“Yes, yes, I get it.”
Ryan quickly raised both hands.
The phoenix was not ordinary in temperament. Its way was to fly up and slap first.
“He won’t grant a city.”
“Ah, that might be the case. It depends on how big the jewel is, though.”
In the midst of such conversation, Reskal arrived.
Dekan and Ryan greeted the Emperor with decorum as if they had never been engaged in idle talk.
“Skip the formalities. Just sit.”
Reskal immediately ordered the report, skipping over trivial matters.
The Empress seemed not at all pleased, even though she had enjoyed the new dish she had tried.
“The Imperial Guard has confirmed the food taster’s death. All the tasters are dead, and the youngest son was missing but found dead this morning.”
Ryan quickly spoke up.
“Do we know who killed them?”
“Regrettably, we do not. They were so thorough they left no witnesses.”
“So it was Malik’s doing?”
“That’s also uncertain, Your Majesty. The cause of death was a common stabbing. There’s nothing linking it to Malik.”
“…. I feel powerless.”
Reskal muttered, his voice full of anger, distressing the knights nearby.
“I apologize, Your Majesty.”
“Anything else?”
This time, Dekan spoke.
“While looking for evidence, we should also consider the motive. Using a food taster is unusual. If there were no constraints on using power, there would have been easier methods. Like a chef, for instance.”
“….”
Reskal’s eyes sharpened.
“It’s just an example, Your Majesty. If the goal was to harm the Empress, that would have been easier. Poisoning the food is simple. Given that we could use Sir Sigress, even the Imperial Guard wouldn’t have been hard to manipulate.”
“And?”
“They used a food taster. There must have been something only a food taster could do.”
“…You mean they aimed to undress the Empress.”
“Perhaps they were targeting the mark.”
Reskal pressed his forehead with his thumb.
“The mark is just that, a mark. It has no power; it only proves the Empress is my companion.”
“Could they have tried to transfer the mark to another body using ancient magic?”
“The mark was made by a spell. Can ancient magic interfere with spells?”
“I’m not sure. Spells and magic are powered differently. But if a greater power can erase a lesser one, then it’s possible.”
“If they were after the mark, what do they gain?”
“….I regret to say, I don’t know.”
Dekan couldn’t hide his disappointment.
“Research on ancient magic is limited. If we could even understand the type of power they’re using…”
“Beep?”
At that moment, Pippi interrupted.
“What?”
“Huh?”
Both Reskal and Dekan reacted, leaving Ryan, who couldn’t understand Pippi, looking disgruntled.
“Beep. Peeppeep. Beep?”
“Ah…”
Dekan suddenly brightened.
“That could work. A good idea, indeed.”
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
